January 2010

In one of his last action as Provost before he takes over as the 10th president of Delaware State University, Dr. Harry L. Williams announced the establishment of a 13-member Provost Search Committee that will seek his permanent successor as Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs.
Dr. Richard Barczewski, chair of the Department of Ag & Natural Resources, and Dr. Akwasi Osei, chair of the Department of History, Political Science & Philosophy, have been tapped to serve as the co-chairs of the search committee.
The committee is comprised of a diverse mix of seven faculty members, one dean, one Board of Trustees member, two administration representatives and one student. The members of the committee include:
Ms. Lori B. Crawford, associate professor of art.
Dr. Tom Butler, professor of social work
Dr. Dyremple Marsh, dean of the College of Agriculture & Related Sciences
Mr. Jose F. Echeverrí, Board of Trustees member
Ms. Carolyn Curry, vice president of Institutional Advancement
Ms. Cecilia Dunning, financial date analyst, Office of the Provost
Ms. Kathleen Chalot, Student Government Association president
Dr. Cynthia Reed Mayo, chair of the Department of Hospitality and Tourism Mgmt.
Dr. Bradley Skelcher, professor and associate provost
Dr. Sabrina McGary, associate professor of biology
Dr. Cherese Winstead, assistant professor of chemistry.
Dr. Williams said the University’s goal is to have a Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs in place by the beginning of the fall semester 2010. Dr. Ronald H. Blackmon has been brought in to serve as interim Provost during the spring semester 2010.

DSU President Harry Lee. Williams shows the Presidential Award of Distinction in Education he received from the General Baptist Convention of North Carolina on Jan. 8.

Body:

Dr. Harry L. Williams was honored by the General Baptist State Convention of North Carolina with the Presidential Award of Distinction in Education at the organization’s Jan. 8 MLK Memorial Banquet in Durham, N.C. Dr. Williams was honored for his accomplished career in higher education, which include his recent selection at the 10th president of Delaware State University. Dr. Williams began his first day as president on Jan. 10.
The DSU president – who is a native of Greenville, N.C. and affiliated with the General Baptist Convention – was honored along with two other North Carolinians, Dr. Gardner C. Taylor, a nationally known Baptist pastor and leader, and Charlotte, N.C. Mayor Anthony R. Foxx.

DSU was the site of the first-ever Brain Bee Competition in Delaware on Jan 9 and by the end of the competition, Amy Forster of the Charter School of Wilmington won 1st place for the best neurology knowledge among the contestants.
Held in the Mishoe Science Center on campus, the inaugural Delaware Brain Bee intellectually pitted 14 students from Caesar Rodney High School, Charter School of Wilmington, and Indian River High School against each other.
The Delaware Brain Bee was conducted in the same elimination style as the Spelling Bee competition that is held across the country. However instead of being given words to spell, contestants in the Brain Bee were given oral questions about neuroscience that they had to answer correctly or be eliminated.
Amy Forster (center), the first-place winner of the first-ever Delaware Brain Bee, is congratulated by Dr. Princy Mennella, (r) DSU assistant professor of biology, and state Sen. Colin Bonini.
Ms. Forster's first-place performance won her an all-expense paid trip to Baltimore, Md. where she will represent Delaware in the U.S. National Brain Bee on March 19-20. There are 52 other competitions across the United States that will send their winners to that National Brain Bee competition.
Dr. Princy Quadros Mennella, an assistant professor of neuroscience and the coordinator of the Delaware Brain Bee, said with so much to learn about the brain in connection with diseases such as schizophrenia, depression, autism and Alzheimer’s, it is important to cultivate interest in neuroscience among young people.
“We need bright young minds to help make new discoveries in the field of neuroscience,” Dr. Mennella said. “Educating our nation’s high school students and getting them excited about the brain is important because one of them could be the next neuroscientist to make a breakthrough in our understanding of the many brain diseases that afflict our society.”
Prior DSU’s facilitation of the event to make it possible in the First State, Delaware previously had been one of the few states that did not hold a Brain Bee competition nor have a representative in the National Brain Bee. Dr. Mennella said it is hoped that more Delaware high schools will engage their students to compete in future competitions.

Delaware State University announced today that it will eliminate two sports programs to address budgetary issues and to help the institution’s other athletics programs become more competitive within its Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC).
The University will drop the Men’s Tennis and Women’s Equestrian programs at the end of the 2009-2010 athletics year. The University will continue to honor its financial commitment to the student-athletes who are impacted by this decision and will assist those interested in transferring to another institution of higher education.
The DSU athletics budget is approximately $12 million during the current 2009-2010 athletics year – the largest budget among institutions within the conference. DSU Athletics Director Derek Carter said that the Board of Trustees has recommended that the athletics budget be reduced to a level that is more comparable with the top teams in the MEAC.
“The five MEAC institutions that are below DSU in what they spend on athletics all have budgets that are $8 to $9 million this year,” said Mr. Carter. “Couple that with the tough economic times that this University is facing, it is impossible to justify such a disparity between DSU and the other top institutions’ athletics spending.”
Mr. Carter said that DSU regrets the impact this decision will have on the affected student athletes. “We know today’s announcement is not good news for our Men’s Tennis and Equestrian team members, their dedicated coaches and their faithful supporters,” the DSU athletics director said. “While we hope that the student-athletes from the affected teams will continue to attend DSU, we will understand if they decide to transfer to another institution and are prepared to assist them any way we can.”
The DSU athletics director said he recommended making the announcement at this time to give the student-athletes as much opportunity as possible to weigh their future directions.
The elimination of Men’s Tennis and Women’s Equestrian will reduce the number of DSU intercollegiate athletics teams to 15. In 2009, the University dropped its wrestling program. There are no plans to eliminate any additional DSU sports programs at this time, Mr. Carter said.
-
DSU President Harry L. Williams said while the decision to drop the programs “was extremely difficult,” it is nevertheless consistent with his vision of excellence for the overall athletics program at DSU.
“We want all of DSU’s athletics teams to be competitive and win championships in the MEAC. But it is impossible to support all our teams toward that end with a budget that is spread too thin,” said Dr. Williams. “While it is not a decision we wanted to make, we are confident that it is in the best interest of the overall athletics program and the University as a whole.”
Dr. Williams added that as a founding member of the MEAC, Delaware State University has an obligation to continually strive to be a strongly competitive institution within the conference. “This reduction in the number of sports programs helps DSU continue to be a strong permanent partner of the MEAC,” the DSU President said.
Mr. Carter said that the elimination of the two sports will save the University almost $700,000. He said he will be recommending other cost saving measures that can be implemented to enable the athletics budget to most effectively support the remaining 15 DSU sports programs.
Both the University’s Men’s Tennis and the Women’s Equestrian teams will continue to compete in their respective remaining 2009-2010 seasons.
DSU will continue to field and support its remaining 15 NCAA Division I sport programs. Those include the women’s sports of basketball, bowling, cross country, indoor and outdoor track, soccer, softball, tennis and volleyball, as well as the men’s sports of basketball, football, indoor and outdoor track, baseball and cross country.
All of the remaining DSU intercollegiate teams compete in the MEAC with the exception of the women’s soccer team, which plays in the Great West Conference.

The DSU Board of Trustees voted unanimously to restore Dr. Claibourne D. Smith to his former office as chairman of the board, which had been previously interrupted by his service as acting president of the University.
Dr. Claibourne Smith is in his 23rd year as a Board of Trustees member and in his 16th year as board chairman.
The action -- which took place at the board's Jan. 14 regular meeting -- also returned Dr. John Land to his former role as vice chairman of the board. Dr. Land served as the acting board chair during the 16-month absence of Dr. Smith.
The acting president tenure of Dr. Smith ended on Jan. 9, as Dr. Harry Lee Williams took over the following day as the 10th president of the institution's history.
The Board unanimously selected Dr. Smith to serve as the acting DSU president in September 2008 after the resignation of Dr. Allen L. Sessoms, who left the University to become president of University of the District of Columbia. In addition to selecting Dr. Land at that time to serve as acting chair, the board later selected board member David G. Turner to serve as acting vice chair.
Prior to becoming acting president, Dr. Smith served 15 consecutive years as board chairman (1992-2008). His resumption of that office now moves him into his 16th year as chairman.
Following the vote that returned Dr. Smith to his chair post, the board also unanimously approved a resolution that commended Dr. Smith for his service and performance as acting president.

DSU President Harry L. Williams received a formal introduction to the General Assembly on Jan. 19 with the passage of a resolution officially welcoming him as the University’s 10th president.
Gov. Jack A. Markell signed Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 25 on that same day, officially welcoming Dr. Williams and extending best wishes for his new tenure as DSU President. State Sen. Brian Bushweller was the primary sponsor of the resolution that had earlier passed in the Senate and the House..
Dr. Claibourne D. Smith, the DSU Board of Trustees chairman who served as acting president during the previous DSU presidential search period, and Dr. Ronald H. Blackmon, interim DSU provost and vice president of Academic of Affairs, accompanied Dr. Williams on the visit to Legislative Hall and the Office of the Governor.
The DSU president spoke separately before the state Senate and the state House of Representatives, graciously expressing his appreciation for the welcome and well-wishes as well as his positive anticipation in working in the future with the General Assembly and Gov. Markell on behalf of the University. He later had a pleasant meeting with Gov. Markell, along with Sen. Bushweller and Rep. William Carson.

The DSU Board of Trustees unanimously passed a resolution that commended Dr. Claibourne Smith for his 16-month service as the University’s acting president.
The board approved the resolution during its Jan. 14 regular meeting, in which they also unanimously returned Dr. Smith to his previous post of board chairman. Dr. Smith stepped down from the board in September 2008 to assume the responsibilities of acting president. He returned to the board on Jan. 10, the date in which Dr. Harry L. Williams officially become the DSU president. Following that board meeting, a reception was held in honor of Dr. Smith in the new Martin Luther King Student Center. Many faculty, staff and students were in attendance and testimonials were given in praise of Dr. Smith's service and dedication as acting president. Photos from that event can be viewed at /administration/photo-gallery-appreciation-reception-dr-claibourne-smith .
The resolution approved by the board read as follows:
Delaware State University Board of Trustees
Resolution in appreciation of Dr. Claibourne Smith, acting President
January 14, 2010
Whereas, Dr. Claibourne Smith became the second person to serve as the acting president in the 119-year history of Delaware State University; and
Whereas, Dr. Smith accepted the responsibility from the Board of Trustees as acting president, fully committing to keep the University focused and stabilized during a trying state and national economic downturn; and
Whereas, Dr. Smith led a delegation to China to expand DSU’s partnerships, provided strong leadership to address H1N1 concerns on campus, and convened a multi-level task force to implement Go Green measures on campus for the short and long term; and
Whereas, Dr. Smith made it a priority to interact with students, faculty and staff to better familiarize himself with how DSU operates, using that information to strengthen the University as well as to inform the Board on key issues through its retreat; and
Whereas, Dr. Smith’s oversight ensured that two major construction project stayed on track, resulting in the completion of a new Wellness & Recreation Center, a swimming facility and a new MLK Student Center; and
Whereas, Dr. Smith capably provided strong and stable executive leadership as acting president, which enabled DSU to methodically conduct its presidential search process resulting in a permanent president; now, therefore, be it
Resolved, that the Board of Trustees recognizes Dr. Smith for his exemplary efforts and accomplishments for 16 months as DSU’s acting president.
In Witness Whereof, the undersigned has executed this resolution as of the date above.
Dr. John Land
Acting Board of Trustees Chair

SGA President Kathleen Charlot shows the Heart for Haiti information table that has been set up in the new MLK Student Center on campus.

Body:

In the tragic wake of the massive January 12 earthquake in Haiti that has claimed the lives of thousands and left
many others hungry and homeless, Delaware State University is coordinating several efforts to contribute to the
ongoing worldwide relief effort.
Student Affairs has organized the Heart for Haiti committee, with representation from the Office of Student
Leadership & Activities, student leaders and student health staff. DSU’s Heart for Haiti endeavors are being
manifested through several campus organizations as a natural expression of their capacity for compassion and
outreach on a global level.
DSU President Dr. Harry L. Williams is not surprised by the student response to the earthquake in Haiti.
Dr. Williams stated “We are committed to educating our students toward the goal of making their mark on the world.
It is gratifying to witness students actualizing this mantra as they mobilize the campus community to participate in
this tremendous opportunity for global community service.”
Student Government Association (SGA) President Kathleen Charlot, who also has Haitian roots said “Many students
realize the importance of the role they can play in such a worldwide relief effort. We have a lot of international
students at DSU who could be affected by disasters that happen throughout the world. It’s our duty as students and
citizens of the United States to care about people in other countries and to help people throughout the world when
the need arises.”
How can you participate in the student initiatives?
Visit the literature tables in the MLK student center and at home games for more information about campus relief efforts, Haiti and the effect of the earthquake as well as government calls for action and support.
Donate to the Haitian Student Association (HSA) coin drive, which has contribution receptacles located in all residence halls. Contact Mr. Emmanuel Lalande at elalande@desu.edu for additional locations.
Contribute donations at any event of the Pan Hellenic greek organizations on campus during the spring semester 2010. The SGA has committed to matching the total amount collected this semester by the Greek organizations.
Join DSU staff and students in supporting the White House relief effort by texting “QUAKE” to 20222 to charge a $10 donation to the Clinton Bush Haiti Fund (the donation will be added to your cell phone bill).
Share ideas and resources with the Heart for Haiti Committee as they are coordinating additional relief efforts. Contact: Emmanuel Lalande at elalande@desu.edu.
DSU Office of Counseling Services
Emergency on-call counselors are available 24/7. Counseling services can be accessed by calling (302) 857-7386.
Haitian Disaster Support Group meeting – 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Thursday Jan. 28 in the Counseling Services Center
In addition, anyone in the DSU Community trying to contact family or friends in Haiti can contact the International Committee of the Red Cross at www.icrc.org/familylinks or at CNN iReport at www.ireport.com. Anyone trying to reach U.S. citizens in Haiti can call the U.S. State Department Office of Overseas Citizens Services at (888) 407-4747 or (202) 647-5225.

Delaware State University has announced the appointment of Kemal M. Atkins for one year as its interim vice president of Student Affairs.
Prior to his arrival at DSU, Mr. Atkins served over the last two years as the vice provost for Student Affairs at East Carolina University. In that capacity, he supervised 15 Student Affairs departments – 500 full-time employees and 13 unit heads – and administered division budgets totaling $77 million. His review of the university’s student center and multicultural center construction projects resulted in savings of approximately $20 million. Also early in his career, he was an assistant director of Undergraduate Admissions at that same institution from 1994-1996.
Kemal M. Atkins
During a seven-year stint at the University of North Carolina, Mr. Atkins served as an assistant vice president for Academic and Student Affairs from 2007 to 2008, as the director of that same division from 2003 to 2007, and as the director for Programming and Operations, GEAR UP NC from 2001 to 2003.
He was also the director of ThinkCOLLEGE, a college access program for high school and college students in Charlotte, N.C. from 1996 to 2001. Part of the nation’s largest and most effective dropout prevention program, ThinkCOLLEGE serves the 37 school-Charlotte-Mecklenburg, N.C. area.
Mr. Atkins has a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature with a minor in Communications Arts and a Master of Arts in English Literature with an emphasis in Postsecondary Instruction, both from Appalachian State University in Boone, N.C. He also completed the NASPA Institute for New Senior Student Affairs Officers.
Mr. Atkins replaces Dr. Paul Bryant, who left DSU to pursue other opportunities.
A national search for a permanent vice president of Student Affairs will be initiated at a later date.

Delaware Gov. Jack Markell has appointed Leroy A. Tice, a Wilmington attorney, to serve as a member of the Delaware State University Board of Trustees.
Mr. Tice, who is also an alumnus of DSU, has been appointed to finish the six-year term of Dr. Lillian A. Lowery, who resigned from the board earlier this month. In completing Dr. Lowery’s term, Mr. Tice’s current appointment lasts until Oct. 17, 2014.
A native of Milford and a 1987 graduate of Milford High School, Mr. Tice is a member of both the Delaware State Bar Association and the New Jersey State Bar Association. Mr. Tice is currently an attorney with the Wilmington firm of Aber, Goldlust, Baker & Over, where he focuses on workmen compensation matters, employment discrimination, civil rights and personal injury claims.
Leroy A. Tice, Esquire, DSU's newest Board of Trustees member.
He is a member of the Delaware Bar Association’s Multicultural Judges and Lawyers Section, the Delaware Trial Lawyers, as well as the National Employment Lawyers Association. He also serves as an outside counsel for the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and as a special hearing officer for the Prestige Academy, a Wilmington charter school.
He has a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Delaware State University and later earned a Juris Doctor from Seton Hall University School of Law.